Monthly Case Manager Newsletter

… Housing First August 18, 2022 Housing First is an approach that prioritizes providing safe, decent, and affordable permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness. It does not have service participation requirements or preconditions to housing. Once stably housed, individuals are better able to take advantage of wrap-around services to help support housing stability, employment, and recovery. Without stable housing, attaining these goals becomes much more difficult. Housing First Principles Housing First is not "housing only". It includes an array of support services needed to live stably in the community. Homelessness is first and foremost a housing crisis and can be addressed through the provision of safe and affordable housing. All people experiencing homelessness, regardless of their housing history and duration of homelessness, can achieve housing stability in permanent housing. Everyone is “housing ready.” Sobriety, compliance in treatment, or even criminal histories are not necessary to succeed in housing. Permanent housing provides a stable place to live and serves as a platform to pursue goals like health, food security, employment, and better quality of life. Many people experience improvements in quality of life, in the areas of health, mental health, substance use, and employment, as a result of achieving housing. People experiencing homelessness have the right to self-determination and should be treated with dignity and respect. The exact configuration of housing and services depends upon the needs and preferences of the person. Quick Screen: Does Your Project Use Housing First Principles? Are applicants allowed to enter the program without income? Are applicants allowed to enter the program even if they aren't "clean and sober" or "treatment compliant"? Are applicants allowed to enter the program even if they have criminal justice system involvement? Are service and treatment plans voluntary, such that tenants cannot be evicted for not following through? Upholding the dignity and autonomy of the individual being served Recognizing that all people deserve help even if a person may struggle Focusing on an individual's needs and interests rather than the organization's Foundations of Housing First Register for the Webinar New Webinar Series on Homelessness and Housing First Join National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities for a 4-part series on homelessness and Housing First. Click to Watch -- Webinar 1-Emerging Threats Facing People Experiencing Homelessness Upcoming Webinars: Monday, August 29 - “Homelessness is a Housing Problem” Monday, September 12 - “Long-Term Solutions and Successful Strategies” Wednesday, September 28 - “How to Address Unsheltered Homelessness” Housing First is the most effective approach to ending homelessness. Research has demonstrated that uptake of these voluntary services increase when people have a stable place to call home. In turn, these wraparound services prevent returns to homelessness and increase housing stability and overall well-being. Let's Learn More Housing First Fact Sheet -- National Alliance to End Homelessness The Case for Housing First -- National Low Income Housing Coalition Housing First Checklist -- United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Housing First Implementation Resources -- US Department of Housing and Urban Development Resource Roundup: Understanding and Implementing Housing First -- United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Housing First -- National Low Income Housing Coalition Data Visualization: The Evidence on Housing First -- National Alliance to End Homelessness Materials and information in this newsletter sourced from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Submit any newsletter topics or ideas that would be most beneficial to receive to info@oneroofonline.org.